A Survivability Framework for the Development of Autonomous Unmanned Systems

A framework for the development of autonomous unmanned systems is presented in this paper. This framework is based on the belief that autonomy is the outcome of an intelligent decision-making process that enables a system to maximize its own survival within its operating constraints. The guiding principles of this approach, as applied to autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (AUGVs) are included. This interpretation of survivability is based on insights from cognitive science, psychology, and animal behaviour, we adopt a biologically-inspired approach by considering the needs and emotions of an autonomous system, and it is the ability of the system to fulfil these needs that contributes to its survival, as is the case with living creatures. Within this framework, survivability emerges from the process of determining the behaviour, or sequence of behaviours that maximizes the probability of meeting the needs of the system. Such an interpretation is purported to be conducive for the emergence of intelligence and autonomy in unmanned systems. This paper presents a description of the proposed framework and a case study as applied to a personal, man-transportable AUGV where the application of these concepts are formulated and simulated for verification purposes